Clean Getaway: Meat Waste Joins Biofuels At Luxury Jet Show
By Allison Lampert
LAS VEGAS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At the world's most significant market program in Las Vegas luxury jets are luring purchasers with their sleek silhouettes, plush cabins - and significantly, their use of alternative fuels.
Fuel manufacturers and jetmakers are keen to showcase unique forms of aviation fuel deemed less damaging to the environment, from used cooking oil to the noticeably less glamorous meat waste.
Business jet operators, like airlines, have actually bowed to ecological pressure on aviation and devoted to cutting in half carbon emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.
Their hope is that adopting eco-friendly fuel to curb emissions might make business jets more appealing to environmentally conscious buyers - specifically corporations dealing with concerns over sustainability from investors or green campaign groups.
The accessibility of less jets might likewise spare the abundant and popular the unfavorable publicity experienced by Britain's Prince Harry and his better half Meghan over a current private jet journey to southern France.
Five Gulfstream jets on display in Las Vegas are using California-produced fuel from inedible beef tallow.
The newest waste-based fuels include "fats, grease and oils that are byproducts of the food industry," stated Bryan Sherbacow, chief business officer of Boston-based biofuel producer World Energy, which produces fuel from meat waste utilized by Gulfstream.
"All of our item is inedible."
Some of the other 79 aircraft on display are anticipated to be powered by 150,000 gallons of other sustainable fuel blends anticipated to be pumped at the program.
FLIGHT SHAMING
Private jets account for less than 0.1% of overall annual carbon emissions globally, but can produce, on average, up to 20 times more carbon emissions per guest mile than jetliners, according to the London-based personal charter firm Victor.
Prince Harry has actually protected his periodic usage of personal jets to ensure his household's safety, and has actually said that on the unusual occasions he does not fly commercially he offsets his emissions.
But planemakers say occurrences such as the furore over his schedule have actually added fresh difficulties for a market currently making every effort to validate its contribution to cutting business costs.
"Incidents of flight shaming involving using personal jets are regrettable when you think about that our market has delivered fuel efficiency enhancements of 40% over the previous 40 years," stated Bombardier Aviation President David Coleal.
Bombardier thinks increased sustainable fuel usage will assist the industry make inroads with corporations and wealthy buyers. According to market data, billionaires just have a 19% business jet ownership rate.
But even an image makeover - with jets sporting sticker labels like "this airplane flies on renewable fuels" and organisers including alternative fuel pumps for going to aircrafts - is unlikely to please all critics at the Oct 22-24 high-end jet event.
Environmentalists and some experts remain skeptical that biojetfuels, usually combined 50-50 with kerosene, will make a significant effect on public perceptions about luxury travel.
"No amount of jatropha curcas or Brazil-nut fuel can make company jets look eco-friendly," stated aviation expert Richard Aboulafia.
Demand from service jet operators for renewable fuels now far surpasses supply and their interest might drive future production, Sherbacow stated.
World Energy, which produces 40 million gallons of biofuel at its California plant, could expand production approximately 150 million gallons by 2022.
Corporate charter business and specialists are likewise seeing more interest from consumers who wish to purchase carbon credits to offset emissions from their flights.
Brian Proctor, CEO of Mente Group, a U.S. consultancy, said emissions played a role in a business jet usage study his business recently finished for a Fortune 500 company.
"At the end of the day, I believe that price, cost per hour, variety, speed and performance, that's still the (sales) chauffeur. But I think people are ending up being more familiar with the sustainability of operations and how it impacts the world." (Reporting By Allison Lampert, Editing by Tim Hepher and Alexandra Hudson)